July 13, 2015

Aussie and Irish beef compete for US market

Australian beef exported to the United States is 97% grass-fed, making it a direct competitor to Irish beef on the recently opened US market.

Australian beef exports to the US surged 77% to 471,242 tonnes in the fiscal year to the end of June, from 265,920 tonnes in 2013/14.

"The growth in exports was across almost every major export beef category, as US importers and end users spent much of the last 12-18 months looking for beef to supplement declining domestic supplies," government body Meat and Livestock Australia said, quoting figures from the Australian Department of Agriculture. "The rise in demand in the US over the last year has overlapped very well with the ongoing large numbers of Australian cattle being processed."

Growth appeared to slow down recently but remains strong, with a 48% year-on-year increase in the last six months.

Moreover, exports of manufacturing beef, which make up two-thirds of the trade flow, rose 75% year-on-year.